1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a SIM card mounting structure of a mobile phone.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are a plan view and a cross sectional side view of a conventional SIM card mounting structure, respectively. In FIG. 4A showing a rear surface of a front side casing of a mobile phone, one end portion of a back side casing (not shown) is rotatably supported by a rotary shaft 11 provided in one end portion of the front side casing so that the back side casing can be lain upon a SIM card mounting portion 10 of the SIM card mounting structure. When a telephone function of the mobile phone is used, the back side casing lain upon the SIM card mounting portion 10 is locked in its position by a locking member 24. The SIM card mounting structure shown in FIG. 4A is in a state where the back side casing is removed and a SIM card is exposed. The term “front side” used in this specification means a side of the SIM card mounting structure, on which character input buttons, etc., are arranged. A battery is housed in the back side casing, which is not shown.
A microphone housing portion 20 shown in an upper portion of FIG. 4A is screwed on the front side casing. A microphone is housed in the microphone housing portion 20. In FIG. 4A, reference numerals 21 and 22 in FIG. 4A depict screws for screwing the microphone housing portion to the front side casing and a reference numeral 23 depicts an opening for voice communication.
A recess 13 is provided in the SIM card mounting portion 10 and a SIM card 1 is received in the recess 13. The SIM card 1 is pressed down in the recess 13 by a metal lock member 12. The metal lock member 12 can slide in lateral directions in the drawing sheet. Further, a receiving portion 14 is provided in one end portion of the recess 13 of the SIM card mounting portion 10, for receiving the metal lock member 12. When the SIM card 1 is to be mounted, the metal lock member 12 is slid to the receiving portion 14 and then the SIM card is inserted in the recess 13. Thereafter, the metal lock member 12 is slid back from the receiving portion 14 onto the SIM card 1 to press down the latter. A contact terminal portion 15 to be in contact with an electrode terminal portion on the SIM card 1 is provided in a bottom of the recess 13 in an opposing relation to the electrode terminal portion of the SIM card 1. In FIG. 4A, a reference numeral 16 depicts electrodes connected to electrodes of the battery housed in the back side casing when the back side casing is mounted on the SIM card mounting portion 10. Incidentally, symbols + and − in the same figure indicate polarities of the battery.
As described above, the conventional SIM card mounting structure requires a mounting part such as the metal lock member 12 or an open/close type mounting holder, which is prepared as a separate piece. In such conventional SIM card mounting structure, however, there are problems of complication of the SIM card mounting structure, cost-up of the mobile phone due to provision of such separately provided part and necessity of providing a space for the separate part. Therefore, it is difficult to make the SIM card mounting structure inexpensive, lightweight and compact.